February 29, 2012

Najib urged to stop political violence

www.themalaysianinsider.com

BERSIH 2.0 urges Prime Minister Najib Razak to immediately stop the serial political violence inflicted on opposition politicians and civil society activists by thugs reportedly related to UMNO and PERKASA, while the Police often just looked on and no one has been charged so far.

Bersih 2.0 warns that such impunity on political violence, if it continues, leaves no room for clean elections in Malaysia. If political activisms are met with physical assaults even before elections, could the safety of opposition leaders and campaigners be guaranteed come the next election?

BERSIH 2.0 wants Najib to order an immediate investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the two latest incidents of political assault on February 26.

At Speakers' Corner, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, a group of thugs identified as UMNO Youth and PERKASA members attacked the anti-Lynas protesters and eventually injured two reporters. Most shockingly, the Police personnel looked on and did nothing. Later, the Chief Police Officer (CPO) of Pulau Pinang Ayub Yaakob blamed it on the organisers for not informing the Police of their event.

At Felda Lepar Hilir 1, Gambang, Pahang, YB Nurul Izzah Anwar, PKR MP for Lembah Pantai, was assaulted by Asrullah Affendi Abdullah, an assistant of UMNO Lepar state assemblyperson Mohd Shohaimi Jusoh.

These are not isolated cases. Forums by student activists and the Anything But UMNO (ABU) Movement have experienced similar attacks and no one has yet been charged in court.

If PM Najib Razak refuses to take action to end such political violence, to have the assailants prosecuted and to punish those Police personnel who shirked their responsibility, Malaysia may be pushed to the edge of chaos and unrest by electoral violence.

In this alarming development, BERSIH 2.0 calls upon Malaysians and the international community to establish a Election Observation Mission to mitigate such a threat.

* The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0 comprises: Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan (Co-Chairperson), Datuk A. Samad Said (Co-Chairperson), Ahmad Shukri Abdul Razab, Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Dr Farouk Musa, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato' Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato' Yeo Yang Poh and Zaid Kamaruddin.

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